Transition from High School to College

Making the transition to college is exciting and challenging for all students. New responsibilities and expectations will be placed on you, essentially from the first day you are on campus. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) can assist you with the transition by discussing ways to be good self-advocates and independent managers of life's details. As you prepare for this transition, it is important to know about some key differences between high school and college.

Guided by The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, Subpart E and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Entitlement - student has a right to a free and appropriate public education

Eligibility - student must be eligible to attend college and needs to meet program eligibility requirements as well

The goal of the accommodation process is to ensure that the student is SUCCESSFUL

The goal of the accommodation process is to ensure that the student has equal ACCESS

Standards may be modified to ensure success

Standards are not fundamentally altered

Responsibilities

High School

College

Public schools are required to identify students with disabilities through free evaluations and the individualized education program (IEP)

The student is responsible for contacting the disability office about accommodations

Provide the resources and program placement necessary for student success

Coordinate reasonable accommodations only while deferring to university practices for resources (i.e., tutoring, counseling, etc.)

Parents, counselors, and teachers tend to do most of the advocating and accommodation coordination for students

Students are their own self-advocates and managers of the accommodation process

Parents and teachers tend to play active and lead roles in monitoring attendance, homework, and course progress

Students are expected to take the lead in monitoring attendance to classes, completing homework, and knowing course progress

Parents, teachers, and counselors often are the lead advocates for the student; these advocates keep the student in the loop when necessary

The student is the lead advocate while the disability office advocates for accessibility; the student is expected to keep parents and others in the loop

Classroom Differences and Expectations

High School

College

Close guidance is provided for the student so that they are aware of course and overall graduation requirements

Course requirements vary by course and graduation requirements vary by program with students responsible for understanding both

Class sizes tend to be smaller in number and relatively consistent from one class to another

Class sizes can exceed 100 students per class, especially for introductory courses, and can vary widely from one class to another

Outside of class, study time is often very minimal and students may not be forced to learn quality study habits as a result

The general rule is that students should study 2-3 hours outside of class, for each hour in class, in order to achieve passing grades that allow one to retain scholarships and other financial aid

Tests tend to cover small amounts of material and can often be passed through basic memorization studying - cramming can be a successful long-term strategy

Tests tend to cover larger amounts of material and require a deeper level of understanding, analysis, and application - cramming is likely not a long-term strategy for success

Final course grades often consist of many different grading opportunities (including regular small homework assignments); poor test or paper grades can be overcome by excellence in other areas

Final course grades often consist of only a few major events (tests, papers, or projects) with few other grading opportunities (homework) available; poor performance on one test or paper will often impact the final grade

Good effort often counts and will be highly considered in a final grade

While effort is important, results matter; academic performance must satisfy the goals and objectives of the course and/or the degree program

Course Instructors

High School

College

More likely to give routine homework that is regularly graded

More likely to expect students to read and review notes on own outside of class without busywork assignments